Veep Calls for Coordination in Provision of Relief Items as he Visits Phalombe Flood Victims

Malawi Vice President and Minister for Disaster Management Affairs Dr. Saulos Chilima has called on disaster response stakeholders to work closely to ensure that relief items reach the intended beneficiaries.

Chilima, who withstood muddy pathways to appreciate the extent of damage caused by recent disasters in Phalombe, made the appeal on Thursday when he visited areas struck by floods that affected 290 households and completely damaged 68 houses in T/A Kaduya, forcing the occupants to seek comfort at Phaloni Primary School.

“Government agencies, traditional leaders, the clergy and everybody else need to work hand in hand to ensure that only the affected benefit from the relief items,” said Chilima adding that the presidency and all government machinery will see to it that people’s suffering emanating from disasters is greatly minimised as government engages in long term plans to enhance disaster risk reduction.

He then commended all well-wishers who took part in rescuing people who were at risk of losing their lives to the disasters, and made special recognition of Nelson Teputepu, Phaloni Primary School headteacher who, in no time, stretched a helping hand to provide shelter for the displaced families.

Meanwhile, the Department of Disaster Management Affairs has provided relief items to the families affected by floods in Phalombe.

He obtained his MSCE certificate at Namitete secondary school in 2009. Then enrolled at Skyway University where he got his journalism ABMA certificate. He obtained ABMA Diploma in journalism in 2014 at Blantyre Institute of Management (BIM). His hobbies are singing, reading books and traveling.